Posted by Peter on August 19, 2003, at 5:53:44
In reply to Re: REALLY need advice just once more, posted by Jasmine Neroli on August 19, 2003, at 2:10:27
> Hello there. 3 am and you're not sleeping...aagh! I remember those nights.Wake up already thinking a whole bunch of stupid thoughts, as tho' they kept on going on whilst you were asleep! So sorry that you're suffering still.
> Coupla thoughts: (1)Nicotine gives you an immediate norepinephrine kick from the adrenal cortex (you said you were smoking and craving it, right?). Then it stimulates glucose release into your blood stream and you become energetic as your blood sugar rises.The stimulation suddenly ends (after cigarette ends), followed by depression and tiredness.
>>yes, that's what it has always felt like to me.
This may be part of that cycle you are talking about, and the HR/sweating thing. Also, if you stop smoking for 24 hours (apparently)it takes longer for any emotional equilibrium to return, once disturbed. (No wonder it's SO hard to quit!). Can the smoking be part of the cycling equation you are experiencing?
>>I'm not sure; I haven't really been considering my return to smoking as even a factor in all of this. I do notice, however, that each cig during the day stimulates me initially and then makes me feel depressed, like I wanna go to bed. That's why I really only smoke at night while reading in bed (and that, I guess, is what's been contributing to my poor-quality sleep. I definitely plan on stopping smoking again; I did quit after years of use - and didn't smoke for 3 years! Then I started it up 'cause of my high stress levels in NY this past Spring. It's a bummer, and I hope I'll be able to quit again.
(2) Adderall has about a 6 hour effect and can cause lethargy on initial dosages. So maybe you're reacting like you just started it and were never on it before?
>>I also considered this; even though I got so used to the med, I haven't taken it in a while, and my body might have to get used to it all over again.
In my answer to your previous post I suggested taking only the morning dose. I wonder if you can handle that amount better (i.e. adjust to it more easily).
>>The problem with just taking the a.m dose for me, is that I become like a zombie after it wears off in the afternoon; I think that, while it raises NE/DP, it does it very sharply and quickly, and the resulting crash might leave the NE/DP at a SUB-NORMAL level? When I used to take it, the inert, zombie-like feeling hit me a few hours after each dose, and I always assumed it was a sign of the med wearing off. That's why I inevitably had to climb the dose up to 40mg at once point so that my whole day and evening until bed was 'covered' so my mood didn't suddenly drop mid-day or mid-evening. Maybe 20 mg isn't enough (but I certainly don't want to get caught up in higher doses again), or, 10mg bid is not a good way to spread it out; maybe 10+5+5? The only thing about that is that I'm sick of having to think so much each day about how many pills to take and when to take it. Then I'll start wondering when to take the tid klonopin in relation to when I take my adderall, etc.
(3) I think you are EXTREMELY sensitive to any chemical that has a direct affect on neurotransmitters, including alcohol, THC, nicotine & probably caffeine. Your brain has been over-primed and probably "re-wired" by all the different drugs and life experiences you've been exposed to over the years. It's almost impossible to know how to advise you, cuz your brain is not a "blank canvas" or virgin territory.
>>tell me about it(-: my brain is a med factory.
> HOWEVER, IMHO...if you feel that the Adderall effects are so noticeable and negative compared to how you've felt recently, then YES, stop it until you are in NY. Make sure, it's not the nicotine though! If you wanna take a chance on the XR having a less pronounced effect, you could try that, but it maybe best to just stop it altogether.
>>Well, the discard date on the XR bottle is 1/23/03 (I thought it was older) - u think it would still have full potency?
> At the very worst, the Klonipin helps you stay calm, doesn't it? I think your goal should be as relaxed as you can. I kinda feel that Klonipin is the most important one right now.
>>>True; but I'm just concerned that making me calm is not the worst the klonopin could do; I'm thinking it could make me depressed; after all, within the 1st 2 days of the higher dose I had some pretty intense, random crying spells.
> DON'T take the Prozac yet!! Too many drugs substituting for too many other drugs.....confusion, meltdown, HEEELP! (That's your brain talking, hehe).
>>>Ok. GOOD - at least I've got that off my back and don't have to worry about it anymore. But I really just meant stopping the adderall, staying on the klonopin, and starting the prozac - that's only 2 drugs (prozac + klonopin); but you're right. It's also probably best to hold off on a med that takes a while to work and that, in the interim, has a lot of acute side-effects, until my pdoc is back and can monitor my response
> If your obsessional thinking/worrying is now specifically about the medications. Tell yourself something like the following, everytime the thoughts come up :"I'm on vacation and resting my brain/mind/emotions from all other drugs. On September 3 I will do informed research about available medications, evaluate my emotional state and prepare to visit my doctor. End of discussion"
>>>And that's why I need to resume therapy when I get back to NY; perhaps CBT this time. Thanks, that's a good thing to tell myself.
> And Peter, I'm gonna give you an assignment!! Next time you post, tell us which part of France you are in, and describe something you've seen in great detail. Change of focus.
>>>awesome idea.
> Retrain your observations to "outside" of you, if you can. Your sensitivity is also a HUGE asset.
> Be kind to yourself :)
> Jasmine
> >(o:
>
poster:Peter
thread:251194
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030818/msgs/252067.html